Putting one foot in front of the other
When I graduated college, I read several self-help books because I simply couldn’t fathom not being a college student where my day to day was mapped out by classes, schoolwork and clubs. I also couldn’t wrap my head around not living with my best friends having the time of our lives but that’s a whole different story. As a student you study hard for a test to get a good grade. It is validation of the work you put into it. I missed working towards specific goals.
The most pivotal book that I read was Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. It shifted the way I was thinking and gave me that “girl boss power” boost to try something new. At this same time, I was talking to my childhood best friend who had ran her first half marathon and was encouraging me to run one with her. This book had me shift my mindset from thinking “I’m just not a runner”, “I could never run 13.1 miles” to “I’m going to sign up for my first half marathon with you”. ”
Schedules and to-do lists are some of my favorite things so finding a half marathon training schedule and sticking to it was very appealing to me. It is important that you know that prior to committing to a half marathon the longest I could run was 3 miles and it was a HARD 3 miles every time. What I have learned about training for races is that it is just as much mental strength as it is physical. It was so intimidating to me that at one point in my training schedule I would be running 10 miles casually on a Saturday am. SO not casual. I couldn’t wrap my head around a double digit run but I stuck to my schedule, and it prepared me to do exactly that. Each week checking runs off the calendar, increasing my mileage and preparing me for 13.1. My first half marathon was a huge moment for me because I had accomplished something that 6 months prior, I told myself I would never be able to do. That was a very empowering feeling.
One half marathon turned into another, and then another, and then next thing you know I signed up to run the NYC Marathon. Running the NYC Marathon was hands down the best day of my life thus far. I have never been so overwhelmed with gratitude for my body, my friends, my family, the running community and the city of New York. Training for a marathon is a whole other beast and something I actually have a lot of opinions on and how I would do it differently if I were to do it again (I think I am a one and done marathoner) but it was an experience I will hold with me forever.
I am also not that person that is addicted to running where I am out there in rain, snow, freezing temps, or piping hot temps. When I’m not training for a race, I really will only run when I have the itch to which is more or less when that NYC sun is shining. Running with NYC views, a playlist blasting in your Air pods, it just hits different.
Whether or not it's running, think about something you have told yourself you “could never do” but that you “wish you could”. Why “can’t” you do it? What is actually keeping you from trying it? I’m telling you if I could go from crawling through a 5k to running a marathon, so can you. You can do anything you put your mind to. Running has taught me exactly that.
xoxo
Beats
